I cover technology, entrepreneurs, billionaires and VC's for Forbes. When I get the chance I write about lifestyle and booze too. Previously I edited Forbes's front-of-the-book section "Leaderboard," and was a proud member of the Forbes 400 Wealth Team. Before that I worked on Wall Street. Feel free to follow me on Twitter: stevenbertoni and subscribe to me on Facebook.

Exclusive: Adelson's Pro-Romney Donations Will Be 'Limitless,' Could Top $100M

Forbes has confirmed that billionaire Sheldon Adelson, along with his wife Miriam, has donated $10 million to the leading Super PAC supporting presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney–and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. A well-placed source in the Adelson camp with direct knowledge of the casino billionaire’s thinking says that further donations will be “limitless.”

Adelson, who has built Las Vegas Sands into an global casino empire, will do “whatever it takes” to defeat Obama, this source says. And given that Adelson is worth $24.9 billion–and told Forbes in a recent rare interview about his political giving that he had been willing to donate as much as $100 million to his initial presidential preference, Newt Gingrich–that “limitless” description telegraphs potential nine-digit support of Romney.

Adelson, this source continues, believes that “no price is too high” to protect the U.S. from what he sees as Obama’s “socialization” of America, as well as securing the safety of Israel. He added that Adelson, 78, considers this to be the most important election of his lifetime.

In an interview with me in February, Adelson said that he’d likely shift his financial support to the Republican front-runner if Gingrich dropped out of the race–which he did in May. Now Romney is positioned to reap Adelson’s largess. Thanks to the Citizens United decision, there are no curbs on how much Adelson could give the pro-Romney Super PAC, Restoring Our Future. Given that he’s one of the 15 richest people in the world, the Sands chairman could personally bankroll the equivalent of entire presidential campaign–say, $1 billion or so–and not even notice. (The $10 million donation he just made to Romney is equivalent to $40 for an American family with a net worth of $100,000.)

Adelson, ironically, has made more money during the Obama administration than just about any other American, based on Forbes tabulations. He had previously told me that just because he made money under Obama, it doesn’t mean he thinks the president is doing the right thing.

Does Adelson feel guilty about one American potentially steering the fate of the presidential election? “I’m against very wealthy people attempting to or influencing elections,” Adelson told me in February. “But as long as it’s doable I’m going to do it. Because I know that guys like Soros have been doing it for years, if not decades. And they stay below the radar by creating a network of corporations to funnel their money. I have my own philosophy and I’m not ashamed of it.”

Adelson is an Israel hawk who has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to Jewish causes. He also is also fiercely fighting against what he sees as Obama’s socialization of America. As he explained to me this winter:

“What scares me is the continuation of the socialist-style economy we’ve been experiencing for almost four years. That scares me because the redistribution of wealth is the path to more socialism, and to more of the government controlling people’s lives. What scares me is the lack of accountability that people would prefer to experience, just let the government take care of everything and I’ll go fish or I won’t work, etc. U.S. domestic politics is very important to me because I see that the things that made this country great are now being relegated into duplicating that which is making other countries less great. … I’m afraid of the trend where more and more people have the tendency to want to be given instead of wanting to give. People are less willing to share. There are fewer philanthropists being grown and there are greater expectations of the government. I believe that people will come to their senses and not extend the current Administration’s quest to socialize this country. It won’t be a socialist democracy because it won’t be a democracy.”

If Romney gets tough on Israel’s defense and continues to repeat his small government, free market message, he could find that the war chest backing his efforts is, well, limitless. It will be interesting to see how Obama’s billionaire backers –who have so far been reticent to match GOP efforts–will respond.

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I’m not as concerned about Obama’s future as you’re assuming – he plenty capable to take care of himself, and to keep working toward another Nobel Prize. It’s America that I’m worried about.

Fact is, America’s growing uneducated class have ALREADY cost us our future. We’re on a downward spiral because you and too many Americans can’t compete with Asia. Your words simply demonstrate my point – with more unsubstantiable beliefs.

Can you provide academic-level proofs of what you said? I’m sure you can’t – you and most Romney supporters are bully’s like him, who will say anything but can’t support their beliefs. You called me an elitist – can you substantiate even that belief?

Yes, Obama has had to face challenges unparalleled in American history. He’s had to face, simultaneously: – protracted involvement in two major wars (initiated by his republican predecessor), – a major blow to our economy (initiated by his republican predecessor), – major financial crises in most major nations worldwide (caused by some major players on Wall Street being very undisciplined), – a more belligerent expansionist China (spurred by all of our own companies looking for a quick buck and cheap manufacturing), – a more belligerent radical Islam (they’re succeeding in bleeding us monetarily), – AND racism among our population AND Congressional leaders!

And in spite of these major hurdles, he’s managed to accomplish much: – he’s supported Wall Street enough that they’re solidly on their feet – able to again payout tens of billions in JUST BONUSES. Too bad they won’t lend to our small businesses — no President can make companies do that, – he’s allowed the airline industry to become profitable again (AA has serious structural problems), – he’s brought back the automakers – who are all doing well again, growing – he ended the war in Iraq WHILE training the Iraqi military to defend themselves – he’s ending the war in Afganistan while training their forces. Their forces are winning high praise for what they’ve accomplished, – he incapacitated OBL and much of his network – which was a massive intel & black-ops operation. The President sets strategic goals for our militia, and so he gets credit AND blame – while the military execute his orders with tactical capabilities. – he’s kept very favorable foreign relations with our allies and those not so friendly. He’s also well respected outside America – too bad some Americans let their bigotry get in the way. – he’s fought for a revolutionary healthcare system for all Americans. It’s similar to when President F.Roosevelt established our Social Security system. SS was VERY unpopular when he proposed and signed it into law. But now it’s considered a hallmark of our country. Similarly if enough thinking individuals (instead of reactionary/abusive people) give it a chance, it will improve healthcare for most, at less overall cost than most of us currently pay. And his healthcare program is much like Romney’s program in Mass. – he’s resumed funding for key American research centers, including NASA and the NIH (and others)…… in spite of the damage done to our research community by his republican predecessor.

President Obama has demonstrated successful leadership under very difficult and antagonistic environments.

As far as YOUR beliefs: “Romney will mend fences between the parties”, or Obama “spending trillions”, or what you claim as reverse racism…. can you back up any of it? President Bush spent trillions and had Congress sign spending that continued into the Obama Administration. So you can’t claim Obama made the government spend for the two wars OR for the Wall Street bailout. It was our beloved for President G. H. W. Bush who gets that accolade.

We went from a President who got “C” grades in college, to a President who was a leader and top student for most of his life. It would be a shame to go to one who’s highest academic credential is his High School Diploma.

A Romney presidency would AGAIN make America the laughing stock of the world, would reward companies that put personal profits over national interests, would borrow our future from our grandchildren’s children — AND would wipe out any social program that makes us a stable society. He won’t pay for top educators, police, or firefighters — just for personal “belief” reasons.

Romney will use America to reward any billionaire or multinational willing to pay for it. He’s already selling America while campaigning.

I’m not as concerned about Obama’s future as you’ve assumed – he’s very capable to take care of himself, and to keep working toward another Nobel Prize. It’s America that I’m worried about.

Fact is, America’s growing uneducated class have ALREADY cost us our future. We’re on a downward spiral because you and too many Americans can’t/won’t compete with Asia. Your words demonstrated my point – you only gave more unsubstantiable beliefs, no facts.

Can you provide academic-level proofs of what you said? I’m sure you can’t – you and most Romney supporters are bully’s like him, who will say anything but can’t support their beliefs. You called me an elitist – can you substantiate even that belief?

Yes, Obama has had to face challenges unparalleled in American history. He’s had to face, simultaneously: – protracted involvement in TWO major wars (initiated by his republican predecessor), – a major blow to our economy (initiated by his republican predecessor), – major financial crises in most major nations worldwide (caused by some very undisciplined major Wall Street players), – a belligerent expansionist China (spurred by all of our own companies looking for a quick buck and cheap manufacturing), – a belligerent radical Islam (they’re succeeding in bleeding us monetarily), – AND racism toward him from our population AND Congressional leaders!

In spite of these major hurdles, he’s managed to accomplish much. His policies & policy makers have: – Wall Street solidly on their feet – they’re again paying tens of BILLIONS in just BONUSES. Too bad they won’t lend to our small businesses, – the airline industry profitable again – the auto industry strong and growing – revolutionized comprehensive healthcare. It’s as important and controversial as our SOCIAL SECURITY system was when FDR enacted it. Just as now our SS system is super important to us & the envy of other nations, so will this healthcare program — if uneducated reactionaries don’t cripple it. – strong foreign policy & respect of all major allies and non-friends – pulled out of Iraq AFTER training the Iraqi military to protect themselves – pulling from Afganistan WHILE training their military – who are getting accolades for their performance – incapacitated OBL and his top-aides – severely weakening their terror network – re-strengthened our research communities including NASA and NIH – after his republican predecessor, former President G.W. Bush, made our funding the laughing stock of the world.

On the other hand, Romney is not interested in science/research, education, our police & firefighters, our healthcare, or our future.

Romney is a WHEELER-DEALER — he has no other credential to his name.

He was wheeling-dealing when he was in government, and he’s been wheeling-dealing in his business dealings. NOW, he’s wheeling-dealing with the ultra-rich billionaires — promising to use America and change its laws to help then stay rich and get richer.

If you believe Romney wants to help us, you’ve been conned by the man.

Concerning your points on “reverse racism”, Obama “spending trillions”, or “Romney mending fences between the parties” — these are your BELIEFS. For facts, lookup what racism means (it’s not about skin-color), who spent trillions BEFORE Obama came to power and left him with the bill, and Romney’s record on mediating race-relations, employee/union negotiations (including teachers), or international diplomacy. He has no success with any of these – yet you BELIEVE he can make democrats like him and his self-serving ways?

No Thanks!!! Most in our country don’t want — and can’t afford — a self-serving wheeler-dealer in elected office.

Sure. Grover Norquist has somehow coerced virtually all the Republican politicians, including Romney, to sign his no new tax pledge. I don’t know what this unelected, shadowy lobbyist is offering in return. If you read his speech to the conservatives, you’ll find that he wants a Republican sweep in Nov, including a puppet president who will sign all the right wing bills that congress will pass. (At his behest? Who knows?) Between his interference and the millions that the richest are giving Romney, it looks as though our country will go to the highest bidder. Sickening.

I just dont understand why these insatiable amounts of money equates to anything resembling a “Message” of what these candidates stand for?? This is insane that the amount of money raised equals a win. This is such nonsense. Sooner or later this whole money thing is going to have to be outlawed. We live in the information age these days… I’m pretty positive that there are those media outlets that would, in an election season, donate airtime so that politicians could get there message out… since the American public is sorta slave to what the media wants to put out there about any given politician anyway… why the need for these rediculous amounts of money. Anyone that would “Invest” in a candidate in this fashion is simply taking a gamble… and will be looking for favors in the future. What a waste.